The Kingdom of Sweden is a European state in northwestern Eurasia. The country lies in the temperate climatic zone, but the climate of Sweden in its various regions is different. What caused this? What characterizes the nature and climate of Sweden? Let's find out.
Kingdom of Sweden
The country belongs to Northern Europe. She is the fifth largest among all European countries. More than ten million people live in the country, about 60% live below 60 degrees latitude. Its largest cities are Uppsala, Gothenburg, Malmo, among them is also the Swedish capital - Stockholm.
Sweden is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, in addition, it owns the islands of Öland and Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Its closest neighbor in the west is Norway, in the northeast - Finland.
With Denmark, the country shares several straits. From the southern and eastern sides it is washed by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea, which belong to the Atlantic. Such proximity to the ocean largely affects the climate in Sweden.
The relief of the country is mostly hilly. In the west along the border with Norway stretches a strip of Scandinavian mountains with the highest peak of 2126 meters. Between them and the Gulf of Bothnia there is a plateau and hills, and in the south of the state there are plains.
Climate of sweden
The weather conditions of the country are affected by its shape, location, as well as relief. Sweden's climate in the northern and southern regions is very different, due to its elongation. The country stretched from 55 to 69 degrees north latitude. A small part of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.
Most of it is located in the temperate zone, due to which the seasons are well expressed here. Winters are mostly cold, and summers are warm. The extreme regions go into the subarctic zone, which is characterized by a short summer and prolonged winters.
Of key importance to the climate of Sweden are the Atlantic and the Scandinavian mountains. The country goes north enough deep so that its weather conditions are harsh and cold. But the warm Gulf Stream coming from the Caribbean prevents this. Heated air softens the country's climate in the central and southern regions. Thus, they are much more favorable for life than the same latitudes in Russia.
The chain of the Scandinavian mountains affects Sweden’s climate quite the opposite. They are a barrier that does not allow warm Atlantic winds, creating colder conditions in the north of the country. The southern part of the country is extended by a peninsula and does not fall under the influence of mountains.
Seasons
Climatic spring comes here in April. Prior to this, the thermometer does not rise above ten degrees. Unlike summer, spring weather is very changeable, winds often blow, and cloudy days are easily replaced by sunny ones. In the north, from May to June, white nights begin. In the south in May, the holiday season opens, and the thermometer shows 16-18 degrees.
In the central and southern regions, summers in Sweden are warm and sunny. Daylight hours can last up to 18 hours. At the northernmost point - Kiruna - the day lasts 24 hours. The average temperature in July is 21-23 degrees, in the north it ranges from 15 degrees during the day to 5 at night. The highest rainfall for the whole year falls in August.
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the rainy season continues in the fall. It is supplemented by fogs, winds and cloudy days. In September, the temperature is at around 14-16 degrees, and in November it reaches 5 degrees.
Winters in the south are dry and sunny. In Malmö (the warmest region), the temperature rarely drops below zero, and over the past hundred years it has not dropped below -28 degrees. In the north, from December to January, a polar night lasts. Temperature ranges from -15 to -23. Snow falls every year, in different areas of the country it lies from 50 to 190 days.
Nature
In Sweden, stony and sandy soils prevail. From the center to the north, the country is covered by taiga. Coniferous trees grow here: spruce, pine, larch, fir. In Lapland, in the very north, the tundra begins with permafrost soil, lichens, mosses and low shrubs. Mixed deciduous-coniferous plants, for example, beeches, oaks, appear to the south.
In the forests of Sweden there are lynxes, reindeer, hares, wolverines, bears, roe deer, foxes, minks, muskrats and more than 340 species of birds. There are many reservoirs in the country. Lakes occupy about 10% of the territory. The rivers are rapids and fleeting, rich in trout, perch, salmon, grayling and other fish.